Patient Assistance Fund Helping Remove Barriers

The cancer center has established a patient assistance fund that helps provide transportation assistance and overnight accommodations for out of town patients who may need to have multiple days of treatment in a row or are too ill to travel back home following treatment.

Since opening as a dedicated cancer center in 2007, the ARH Cancer Center has become a regional option for cancer treatment for patients in Eastern Kentucky.

Although the existence of this center has alleviated some of the transportation burden on patients, since now most patients do not have to travel out of the region for care, there still exists a large need for transportation assistance. Over half of the center’s patients each year need assistance with transportation.

Beginning last year with limited funds, the cancer center provided 70 gas cards and arranged transportation for 90 people.

To increase the number of patients that can be assisted the cancer center staff has held small fundraisers such selling Old Kentucky Chocolates candy bars and also will host a "Flip Flop On Out For a Girls' Night Out" fundraising event this July.

The cancer center also received two grants - $5,000 from The Lexington Cancer Foundation and a $6,000 grant from the American Cancer Society Mid-South Division to help increase the number of patient that can be assisted with transportation and lodging needs.

For more information or to donate contact Patient Navigator Amy Morgan at 606-439-6843.